Scientific studies have shown that mangroves “sequester carbon at a rate two to four times greater than mature tropical forests”, and contain “the highest carbon density of all terrestrial ecosystems.”

Mangroves are also key part of coastal ecosystems, and “renowned for an array of ecosystem services, including fisheries and fibre production, sediment regulation, and storm/tsunami protection”.

The key to mangroves is the large amounts of biomass stored underground in the extensive root system. These roots support the large trees in muddy coastal areas where mangroves thrive.

For more information on the importance of mangroves, read this statement from the UN Environment Programme:

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/inside-look-beauty-and-benefits-mangroves

Transparency and trust are core values of ours. They go hand in hand with responsibly putting your money to best use possible. When your hotel decides to join our initiative, 85% of the amount donated goes directly to reforestation. The remaining 15% covers the cost of operating Hotels for Nature.

A few things are important when it comes to verifying that trees are being planted in a sustainable way:

• Third-party validation of project partners - we only collaborate with projects verified by the UN and with high ratings on Charity Navigator or similar platforms.

• Projects must secure written agreements with local authorities and other stakeholders to ensure the lasting protection of the areas where forest restoration takes place.

• Projects must utilize satellite data and field mapping of areas to measure survival rates and ensure that planted seedlings develop into trees. (Our projects have a survival rate of over 80%.)

• They must also plant trees in countries facing real challenges related to deforestation (i.e., not in Europe) and include local communities in a sustainable manner.

• We at Hotels for Nature must be able to visit our planting areas and document the before and after effects.

• On our end, Hotels for Nature is audited by Deloitte on a yearly basis, and we share our financials publicly.

The initial survival rate at our mangrove restoration projects exceeds 80%.

However, between years three and five the young mangrove trees begin to produce their own propagules (baby mangrove trees) resulting in a proliferation of natural regeneration. Multiple studies demonstrate the initial survival rate combined with natural regeneration results in a luxuriant impact ranging between 150 and 500 percent.

We are selective in choosing partners to work with who actively take steps to secure these high survival rates.

In general, reforestation in Western countries have limited benefits, as it provides little added social impact, high costs and generally have less loss of forest compared to the regions our projects operate in. Here is an outline of why we plant where we do:

1. Social Impact: Planting trees in regions like Indonesia and Madagascar provides a significant social impact by creating employment opportunities for local communities. These regions often suffer from poverty and lack of economic opportunities. By involving locals in reforestation efforts, we not only restore ecosystems but also empower people with jobs, income, and skills that can uplift entire communities. This approach fosters sustainable development and long-term resilience against poverty.

2. Cost Efficiency: Planting trees in countries with lower labor and land costs, such as Indonesia and Madagascar, allows us to maximize the impact of our resources. In contrast, European countries generally have higher living standards and wage rates, making reforestation projects more expensive to implement. By choosing cost-effective locations, we can stretch our budget further, enabling us to plant more trees and achieve greater environmental benefits.

3. Addressing Deforestation Hotspots: Focusing on countries like Indonesia and Madagascar addresses critical issues of deforestation. These regions are characterized by high rates of forest loss due to factors such as logging, agriculture expansion, and wildfires. By targeting areas facing significant deforestation challenges, our efforts have a direct and urgent impact on preserving biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and safeguarding essential ecosystems. It's not just about planting trees but strategically combating the drivers of deforestation where they are most acute.

Trees are one of the best tools we have in removing carbon pollution from our atmosphere.

Mangrove trees are one of the most effective and verified methods of offsetting carbon emissions. Each mangrove tree planted through our reforestation projects removes over 308kg (680lbs) of CO​2 from the atmosphere over the growth life of the tree. This calculates to an average of 12.3kg per year per tree.

Read more about how we calculate carbon removal from your hotel forest here.

No, we’re a for-profit environmental organisation.

When we started Hotels for Nature, we realised that if we became a charity and relied solely on donations and government grants, then we wouldn’t be able to reach the global scale of climate impact that we’re intending to achieve.

We operate similarly to a non-profit or charity though, and highly value transparency. 85% of our revenue goes directly to reforestation, and we share our financial information publicly, yearly audits by Deloitte, and climate impact data.

It is our belief that – while you can put as many trees in the ground as you want – if you have done so at the expense of local community welfare, you have still done it wrong.

Our project partners at Eden Reforestation and ISFP work together with local communities in a sustainable way to restore landscapes on a massive scale, thereby creating jobs and improving local livelihoods for people in remote regions.

These jobs range from tree planting and maintenance to nursery management and seed collection, offering diverse opportunities for community members to contribute to the restoration of their own landscapes. Putting the local community at the center, inspires great commitment to reforestation in their region and a sense of ownership to protect their mangrove forests long-term.

Teams for Nature maintains a strict Code of Conduct under the Norwegian Transparancy act. This encompasses lots of different areas of sustainable operations – including fair wages and decent working conditions. It also specifies the minimum ages that are permitted to work, and forbids the use of child labour, as defined by the International Labour Organisation.

Read more about our social impact here:

Yes. Monoculture forests and non-native species do not fall under the category of responsible reforestation, and Hotels for Nature does not support them.

As an example, there are around 60 different tree species being planted at our sites, including:

• Avicinia marina

• Rhizophora mucronata

• Ceriops tagal

• Bruguiera gymnoohiza

• Rhopalocarpus similis